


wrapped around your finger

by foragirllikeyou



Category: Dead To Me (TV)
Genre: F/F, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27396436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foragirllikeyou/pseuds/foragirllikeyou
Summary: A red thread. A thing of myth, weaving a tale of soulmates and fate. These are things that Jen had never found desirable to believe in but maybe with Judy around she didn't mind them so much.
Relationships: Judy Hale/Jen Harding
Comments: 10
Kudos: 68





	1. part i

**Author's Note:**

> of found family and confessions of love. a story of acceptance.
> 
> i hope you like it!

It was quiet in the art room of the assisted living facility. Yellow sunlight shone through the open blinds covering the windows. There were particles visible in the air where the beams hit. That meant it was getting to be later in the day, and the golden hour was soon to be.

Today’s class was an afternoon one that ran long; it turned into an evening class. It was supposed to end at 5:30 but there were a few residents who were so excited to be working on their paintings that Judy couldn’t find it in herself to stop them. With a warm smile, she simply said that they could work for a little longer, and then she went back to her own work of art.

Judy had been practicing at not painting children with an empty hole in their chest that happened to be heart-shaped. No matter what she could never bring herself to make them whole again. There was no amount of love she could pour into them or even enough paint itself to change them in a way that felt right. It just seemed like she was tearing open an old wound, one that ached to have a family. Now, she had one with Jen and the boys. That didn’t make it easier, but it helped. After making the difficult decision to stop painting the children, she struggled with painting much else.

Yet here she was willingly working on a new piece, one that wasn’t a child. This one wasn’t a landscape that was going to take her weeks to find the motivation to finish either. And she wasn’t about to lapse into portraying her pain and reliving it over and over with every brush stroke; as that wasn’t helping, she wanted to work forward instead of dwelling on her loss. At some point during the class, Judy had mulled over countless things to paint, and finally, she found her muse.

It was always nice to paint with others as company but honestly, Judy hadn’t noticed the last person from her class leave the room. At some point, she needed to lean back and blink her eyes from staring so intently. Then when her eyes finally found focus on the clock, it read 6:35. She had been painting for the better part of an hour and her shift ended half an hour ago.

Rubbing her eyes, she stood and began gathering her materials. Then she did her usual rounds around the easels and surrounding tables. Judy picked up the brushes and cleaned up the paints and put everything where it was supposed to be. She washed the brushes and placed them to dry. Once she felt the room was satisfactory and that no other cleaning staff would have a difficult time Judy left the art room to go clock out. Before she left the building she ran back to the art room and grabbed her unfinished piece to take with her. This was something she couldn’t wait until the next day to work on.

The car ride was pleasant, and quiet save for the radio. She had it set to a station that never disappointed, it played some of her favorites, songs that felt absolutely timeless. Mostly, it brought on nostalgia of easier days. It made everything feel so carefree. Judy could use carefree. 

As the sun descended in the sky she bobbed her head feeling the music. And she tapped her thumbs to the beat. The paint on the canvas was drying in the back of the car. It laid flat on the seat. Every so often Judy found herself glancing back to make sure that it was still in its spot. Besides that, there was nothing Judy was required to worry about right then. This was time for her to be wholeheartedly okay with herself.

When she reached the driveway she parked right next to Jen’s van. Judy got out and went to her trunk and grabbed a canvas cover she kept spare for special circumstances. Times like now. She checked the paint quickly and determined it safe to lay the cover over it. Judy grabbed it and held it by the edges to pull it out safely. Then holding it in one hand she used her hip to close the car door and made her way up to the house. 

Upon opening the door, Judy was met with the sound of fast footsteps coming from the staircase near the entrance. “Whoa, there speedy.” She said, lifting her painting over the young boy's head. Even with the close call, she had a smile on her face.

“Judy!” Henry all but shouted as he changed course. His open arms wrapped around Judy’s torso and he squeezed tightly, obviously showing that he had missed her.

Leaning down, she wrapped an arm around him as well. “Would you do me a favor, bud?” She asked, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of his head. After she pulled back, she looked down at him.

He nodded widely at her, awaiting her request.

“Do you think we could be more careful going down the steps?” She watched his expression to make sure he was listening. Her expression was more serious than the playful one from before. She didn’t want anything to happen to him or anything else if it could be helped. “We wouldn’t want anyone to fall down, or anything getting broken, right?” She held up her covered painting that was almost forcibly removed from her hand.

“No, Judy,” He looked down slightly. “I’ll do better next time.” He promised. 

A warm smile came onto Judy’s face. “That’s all we can do right?” She shifted herself to be closer to his level. “Thanks, Hen.” She felt herself get pulled into another hug.

Henry pulled back from the hug, eyes fixed on the painting. “What’s under there anyway?” He asked with his hand pointing at the covered canvas.

Swiftly, she lifted it up behind her. “Sorry,” She pouted at him. “This isn’t finished yet, it’s not fit to be seen.” She added with a theatrical tone and an outward facing hand covering her eyes. Then she gestured for him to continue his journey off to where he was going. Judy couldn’t help but feel bad, but this was a personal project and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to share it with anyone yet. It might just be blobs of paint on a canvas now, but with layering and careful brushstrokes, it would be everything she hoped it could be.

He giggled at her silliness, accepting her answer. “We missed you at dinner,” He turned almost as if to leave again, before he did he added, “Mom tried a new recipe, it didn’t go very well.” As a warning.

Judy’s mouth hung open attempting to protest but it was too late, Henry had already gone off to do what he meant to be doing before. So, she just nodded to herself and continued her path to the guest house. She walked through the living room, and Jen wasn’t there. The blonde was found once she reached the kitchen. “Honey, I’m home.” She announced with a wide smile emphasized with a chuckle.

It took a second for Jen to realize it was Judy who had announced herself. She was focused on cleaning up the kitchen and retrieving a couple of glasses. “Hey.” Jen turned to face the brunette with a smile on her face. “Want some?” She shook one of the glasses in her hand lightly in offering to Judy.

“Yes, please.” Judy said simply. She held up her hidden painting. “I’ll just be a minute, I’ve gotta run out to put this away.” Jen nodded at her and Judy took her leave out the backdoor into the yard. 

The air outside had gotten cooler, somehow more crisp than just a few minutes ago. She kept going until her hand met the cool metal of the door handle. Opening the door, she flicked the light switch on and she placed her purse on the hook on the wall with her house key next to it. It was nice having things like this that were hers, a house key to a home she knew she would always be welcome to. Then her feet carried her across the room to her painting area. It had a tarp on the floor, an easel sitting on it, and on the seat of her stool was her palette that was stained with old paint. There was a lot of history for one object to hold. She turned to remove the unfinished canvas from the easel and replaced it with her new work in progress. The one before it had been a landscape that she knew she wouldn’t actually finish. It had really been draining on her, to force herself to paint anything else, it’s just that it was so forced that she couldn’t take it. That’s why this new one was so special, it was not only meaningful, but she actually wanted to continue it.

It just couldn’t be now. Jen was waiting on her inside and she needed to eat something before her body decided she had waited too long.

Judy carefully took off the cover to her painting. A warm smile came upon her lips. One that was for no one other than herself. This was joy in one of its purest forms, this was no act or face she put on for someone else. This was hers. Her eyes trailed up and down the canvas, imagining everything this painting was going to become.  _ This is it. _ She thought to herself. Then she tore her eyes from it and made her way back into the house.

When she entered, there was a plate of food and a glass of wine next to it, Jen had made a spot just for her on the counter. 

Jen was on the other side of the bar. Her face lit up as soon as she saw the brunette enter the house. “So, I tried a new recipe,” she began. It was obvious that she was nervous about the meal she had prepared, her words came faster than she could think them over. “And if you hate it, we have other leftovers. The boys weren’t fans, but I think that’s because they’re biased against non-meat based dishes-“

It took Judy by surprise. “You made a vegetarian meal?” Judy asked, taking her seat on the barstool.

Jen did a little double take. “Well I-“ she stopped herself. “Yeah?” It was a question but one that sounded more like a ‘why wouldn’t I?’ than an answer to Judy’s question. 

It was because Judy was the only one in the house that was vegetarian. That means that not only did Jen look up a recipe, she attempted to cook it, and it was all for Judy.  _ Not even Steve had done that before.  _ “This is so thoughtful. Thank you.” Her eyes were wide with appreciation.

There was a moment where they looked at each other, and Judy felt so seen.

Jen just smiled a quick smile at her. A blush, that she chalked up to it being warm in the kitchen, threatened to creep onto her face, so she took a sip of wine to hide it. “Long day?” She asked before Judy had picked up her fork.

It took a moment for her to think about it, but Judy settled on “I guess you could say that.” While nodding. That felt the most honest. Today hadn’t felt really long, she had even managed to lose track of time, but considering her tardiness in arriving home, it really  _ had _ been a long day.

Judy looked down at her plate. It looked to be a broccoli pasta with a white sauce. Needless to say it looked tasty, but it was obvious why the boys weren’t fans. Definitely too many greens that were not hidden enough amongst the noodles. She used her fork and scooped some with a piece of broccoli stuck in the end and took a bite. 

Jen watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. 

First, her eyes widened. It was a shock, she hadn’t known what to expect out of taste. She chewed it and swallowed. “This is actually really good, Jen.” She complimented, already readying another bite.

“Oh thank god,” She sighed in relief. “I was so scared I had fucked up the ratios or something.” Jen shook her head, relieving herself of any residual nervousness she had over the meal. The boys had not sugar coated their thoughts in the slightest which definitely didn't help at all.

Something Judy noticed about Jen was that she talked a lot with her hands. It was for emphasis mostly, but it was also out of anxiousness. But right now, as Jen talked, there was something else about Jen’s hand that was distracting. It looked like a string tied around the blondes middle finger. “I think that’s the wrong finger.” She said while pointing at it.

“What-“ Jen cut herself off. Her gaze followed Judy’s direction. “Oh! This is from Henry,” she began explaining. She gestured emphatically with her finger. “It’s something he probably learned from a friend in his dance troupe. He wanted me to remember to take him to practice on Thursday.” Jen shook her head,  _ as if _ she’d forget. Then what Judy actually said caught up with her. “Wait, what did you mean ‘wrong finger?'” She squinted.

Judy waved a hand, “Oh, nothing.” That was met with an expression on Jen’s face that Judy could only read as ‘come on, you know you want to say it.’ Which was true, Judy did want to share but she wasn’t sure Jen would be interested in her so-called “spiritual bullshit” as Jen had once put it. So, she started with just the basics of it to be safe. “It’s something from a Chinese myth.” She bit down on her bottom lip, gauging whether or not the blonde would listen further. Then she saw that Jen was looking at her expectantly. “It’s said that a person is born with a string on their pinky and it doesn’t really end; it’s just tied to another person. They are bound by Fate itself to be together.” Judy nodded, concluding her summarized explanation.

Scoffing lightly, Jen asked “What if they don’t meet?”

Straightening up in her seat, Judy’s face brightened. She was glad Jen was tracking an interest in it. “Well, that’s just it. They have to.” She clarified. “No matter what happens. The string will never break; it can stretch or tangle, but that’ll only delay or complicate the journey it takes for them to get to each other.” She licked her lips once she finished. Things like this were so very endearing to Judy, the very idea of soulmates. It was the thought that no matter what you’ll always be connected to someone; she loved the idea that she was never truly alone. There was always her person on the end of her string, perhaps just waiting for her. The wait never bothered her either, waiting to be enough for someone would be worth any amount of time it took for her to find them. A hopeful glint found its way into her eye, one that revealed her hidden desire that someday she would find the one on the other end of hers.

There was no way Jen could have seen it though. Her own mind had gone adrift, and her eyes followed her wonder, straight past Judy. The gears turning were obvious and without the fear of rejection or judgement, the emotion underneath came to the surface. “Do you think-” Jen’s voice cracked in her throat. She cleared it trying to cover up her embarrassment. “Nevermind, it was stupid.” Jen said, shaking her head. Then she took a bigger swig from her glass.

Judy, didn’t just let her question pass. “No, it’s okay. You can ask me anything.” She leaned forward, letting Jen know she was there for her. “Or tell me anything.” She added.

Instead of fighting it, Jen swallowed, conceding quickly. “Could it be possible that Ted wasn’t on the other end of my string?” Her eyes were a cobalt blue, seeming to have shifted from a more natural hazel state, the sadness verging on pouring through them. There was no hiding this. Her chest felt heavy, guilt seeming to build. She had just revealed a truth, to Judy, and to herself. Jen didn’t want Ted to be on the end of her string. It wasn’t because he had died, not because he had left her and the boys, and it was rooted deeper than him being unfaithful. Ted, being the one person who was supposed to love her unconditionally, did the one thing he was never supposed to do. He made Jen feel lesser, undesirable, and unloved. And that’s when everything fell apart.

These were all things Judy knew, things that Jen had deemed their relationship ready for. She divulged some of her deepest shames and Judy felt honored to be trusted with such information. “Jen,” It came out soft. “I think anything is possible.” She said, reaching a hand out on the counter, a small attempt to be closer to her friend. The blonde’s hand was just out of reach.

Jen actually found herself lessening the space between their hands and accepting the offered comfort. The tug of the string on her finger was felt as Judy used her thumb stroking across her hand. She caught a set of brown eyes with hers. They were at a standstill of silent understanding. A promise of sorts. Given all that they had been through, separately and together, neither of them would have to be alone so long as they had each other. 


	2. part ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thread is unravelling ever so slightly. Jen wishes it would hurry the fuck up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! it means a lot :)

The two had opted not to talk about their dinner conversation again. Jen wasn’t in the mood to discuss her admission about Ted, and Judy wanted to work on her painting but more so knew it was best to allow Jen her space. The artwork had taken up her free time. She decided not to tote it back and forth between work and home. It would be too hard to hide that way, and she didn’t really want questions about it while at work anyway.

When Judy got off of work, she would make or help make dinner, and eat with everyone. Then she would spend time with Jen and when she turned in for the night early, hours and hours went by as she worked on her painting. Painting the children was pretty much muscle memory, so it was difficult to not fall into that habit of brushstrokes. Besides that, she wanted this to be perfect, even if just for herself.

It was during this time that Jen had found a newer routine. She had gotten used to it being just the two of them before going to bed. They’d watch TV, drink wine, and just talk. Without this, Jen was left alone with the remnants of remembrance of their conversation. It had sparked something in her, she didn’t want to keep punishing herself for feeling guilty or shameful anymore, and she wanted to find her person. Going out to bars wasn’t her thing, so she took suggestions from the internet and signed up for a dating site. This was the time for her to begin anew, to help untangle the thread even just a little. Unsurprisingly, putting that she used to be a dancer in her bio had gotten a few people interested. It didn’t take long for her to secure a date for the weekend.

When the day of the date arrived, everything seemed okay. Jen had made plans for almost everything. She wanted this all to go over smoothly, fewer questions from the boys, just in case this didn’t go well. Mentioning the date to Judy had really been the hardest part. She started with offering the boys to stay at Lorna’s, then she had to explain why. Finding the right words had been difficult, no matter how many times she practiced saying them in the mirror. When she managed to stumble her way through telling the brunette about it, Judy had met her awkwardness with an inordinate amount of kindness. As for the offer of the house to herself, Judy insisted that they could stay and she would watch them, it wouldn’t be an issue. So, everything was set, the date was actually going to happen, and she had no reason to cancel.

Now, Jen had gotten ready for the evening. She wore one of her fancy outfits, but not something  _ too  _ professional. A nice dress, fitting to her figure but not one that exposed a whole lot, just enough to make one wonder. It was out of her nicer clothes reserved for work events and now dates apparently. Even her makeup was done. She was dressed up and  _ nervous _ . Jen hadn’t dated since Ted, and her attempts at seduction were not the same as looking for a romantic relationship.

“You look absolutely gorgeous, Jen.” Judy had seen her before Jen even realized it. The brunette bit her lip at the sight of Jen’s state of dress. “The color of your dress really brings out your eyes.” She nodded, reassuringly. A hand reached out to tug at the dress lightly, feeling the material. “If he doesn’t appreciate you, I know someone who will.” Judy laughed to ease the tension.

It must have worked, because Jen laughed back at her. The blonde licked her lips, another nervous habit. It had sounded like a joke, but that’s something Judy did, she joke-flirted because it made other people feel good. Most of the time, the statements were truthful to some degree, just exaggerated. Either way, Jen appreciated the sentiments. Jen looked down at her own dress, her worry from before resettling in her stomach. “Did I do too much? Is he gonna think I’m trying too hard?” She clenched her teeth, almost cringing at herself for going through so much effort. 

An incredulous look washed over Judy’s face. “Are you kidding? You’re kidding.” She stated it like a fact. Judy took a step closer to Jen. She brushed a strand of hair behind Jen’s ear. Her hand didn't relieve itself from the spot behind her ear. The blonde’s gaze never left her face. Once done with her quick task, she looked into those beautiful eyes, flecked with yellow near the center. “You are beautiful. If he doesn’t see that, then he’s going to be missing out.” her hand finally moved, taking one of Jen’s. She studied Jen’s face, trying to figure out what she could possibly be thinking.

There was a moment of pause between them. Neither dared move, their proximity feeling nothing but natural.

Then there was a notification on Jen’s phone that startled the both of them. Her Uber had arrived and was waiting for her outside. Suddenly, her heartbeat thrummed loudly in her ears. She felt the hand holding hers squeeze gently. She followed the brunettes lead with a quick breath in and out. Jen smiled appreciatively at Judy. “Thank you.” She nodded. Looking at Judy’s face there was something indiscernible about it. It was too late for her to ask what was wrong because the brunette was already ushering her to the door. The door shut, and she was left to walk to the car and get in.

Judy watched out the side window the entire way. At first, she made sure that Jen got in safely, but then it quickly turned into her not being able to take her eyes off of the vehicle. Her eyes lingered on it until it turned a corner, completely out of sight. Her hand remained on the curtain for a few moments longer than she intended, stroking the fabric downward before making herself leave the window. Changing her expression, she went into the living room where the boys were sitting and watching whatever was on TV.

They sat quietly for a while. Letting the voices and sounds from the show fill the room. Judy couldn’t help her not paying any attention to it. Her mind wandered to everywhere and nowhere, and she felt the urge to paint. All sorts of ideas for certain colors that would emphasize the right details or provide a lovely contrast. It was almost done, all it really needed was finalizing details. But she was here, with the boys, nevertheless enjoying the time she got to spend with them. 

At some point her train of thought took a stop to wonder how Jen was doing. A part of her hoped that she was having a good time, but the thought of that made her bite the inside of her cheek. She missed her friend, she wanted to be having wine with her and laughing about some client who had tried to get Jen’s number or even a woman who blew up at her husband for cheating on her with another woman who happened to be in the right place at the wrong time.

After an indeterminable amount of time, Charlie was the one to break the verbal silence. He lifted an arm to scratch the back of his neck. Then he shifted on the couch, leaning towards Judy. “So,” he began like he was addressing some elephant in the room. “Why didn’t you go out with mom?” He asked. He watched the brunette's mouth fall open at that. Widening his eyes, he lifted his head, patiently awaiting her answer.

The question caught Henry's attention. His eyes were on Judy now too. He was too polite to ask that question.

It took a moment for her to collect the numerous thoughts that had crossed her head. A nervous hand came up to push her hair back. “Well,” started. She was still trying to think of the best way to go about explaining the situation. “Tonight is kind of just for your mom, it’s not just going out for fun; she is meeting someone.” One of her eyes winked itself, almost flinching at saying the words. This was the most delicate way she could ease the idea of Jen properly dating someone without making it sound like a big deal.

Henry tilted his head, face scrunching with confusion, but remained silent. He just turned his head to Charlie.

Charlie nodded, already knowing what Judy meant. “Yeah,” He said sarcastically. “But like, why didn’t  _ you _ go out with mom?” He asked again, hoping his tone clarified his meaning.

Finally, with that out in the open, Henry found it in him to speak. “Do you guys break up  _ again _ ?” 

Surprise found placement on Judy’s expression.  _ Oh. _ She couldn’t believe she hadn’t picked up on it sooner. Her gaze fell away from the two boys. It met the coffee table. She chewed on her tongue, trying to settle this information and come up with the right thing to say to them. “We’re not…” Judy paused to clear her throat. Her words came out weak. “Like that.” She almost winced saying the words, like they hurt to say. She looked between Charlie and Henry, hoping her words would suffice as an explanation.

Charlie raised his eyebrows, rolling his eyes. But he nodded and leaned back into the couch to stare at the television again. His leg shook, he debated speaking again, and the little devil on his shoulder won. “I wouldn’t mind you know,” He paused. “If you were, I mean.” He shrugged. He glanced over to see Judy’s expression soften, almost smiling.

That’s when Henry chimed in with an affirmative “I wouldn’t either!” he jumped up from his spot and all but jumped onto her, hugging her. 

The look on Judy’s face was one of gratitude. She loved these boys like they were her own, and knowing they accepted her meant the whole world to her. “I kinda wanna go paint, would you guys come and sit with me in the guesthouse?” She looked down at the smaller boy who was already getting up to leave, then to Charlie who nodded at her. Then the three all made their way outside to their destination.

//

Truth be told, the date was going fantastically. Jen’s date was handsome, well-mannered, and polite. Any and all of his faults were passable, nothing was a cause for concern. The venue was a nice restaurant. Candles were lit, there was a lovely bit of mood lighting. They had even decided to share a bottle of wine.

They started out by talking about weird habits, different pet peeves. It turns out he isn’t really weird or anything, he was perfectly normal. It was easy for her to talk to him, especially after learning he had his own tragedies he was dealing with. Jen talked to him about Ted, and losing him to an accident. Soon after that, she learned that he had also been widowed. He lost his wife to cancer. They were in similar if not the same boat.

Besides, it was even just nice to know there were other people out there who felt okay enough to get out there and that she wasn’t just pushing herself when she shouldn’t be. It made her feel normal. Against all of her typical moral codes for certain things, she shared the fact that she had had a double mastectomy because of family history of breast cancer. Figuring his own loss, she concluded that he would be okay with it, and if he wasn’t then fuck him. This wasn’t something she wanted to feel like she was hiding from him, only to spring it on him later if they even got that far. 

He responded perfectly, positively. It actually sort of took her by surprise. He told her that he thought she was incredibly brave to do so for her kids. That was the moment when he touched her hand. He held it carefully, smiling softly at her. It was here where Jen realized that tonight was nice, there was absolutely nothing to complain about, and yet something wasn’t quite right about it. 

If anything, this felt like the good start to a friendship. He felt like a good person to be able to talk about their shared losses together, share coping mechanisms. At the end of dinner, they both agreed to keep in touch. He waited for her car to arrive before he pressed a kiss to her cheek and bid her a goodnight. Only after she got in did he leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're getting to Jen and Judy, i promise!


	3. part iii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, having navigated the thread, realizations are made and they finally see who is on the other end of their string.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're here! the end and i can't believe it. i hope you like it!

Jen did a lot of thinking on the way back home. The starry night sky was the thing that kept the attention of her eyes as her mind wandered. She looked for answers to be written in the stars, like why didn’t she feel positively elated? Dinner was amazing, her date was amazing, and yet there was something off about the whole thing. Something wasn’t right and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Her nerves coiled in her stomach, threatening to become guilt. She swallowed the feelings. She shook off her thoughts and let it sway from the depressing confusion to think about home. Jen smiled at the thought of it, going home to Judy, to the boys. Finding herself breathing out a small laugh, she could only hope that Charlie and Henry had been good and went to bed without abusing Judy’s kindness in order to stay up late. Then for a moment, caught in her happy thoughts, tried to imagine feeling as good about coming home to her date as it felt when she thought about going home now. She couldn’t do it, home wasn’t with him.

Soon enough, the car pulled up in her driveway. The driver reminded her to leave a review on her way out, she gave a quick thank you and exited the car. On the way to the steps she gave the five stars and went inside.

Once the door closed, she pulled off her heels. “Fuck,” She sighed with relief, glad she didn’t have to wear these for a second longer. She carried them by the straps as her feet took her up the stairs to the hallway of bedrooms. She froze just outside Henry’s door, cracked it open and peaked in at her sleeping boy. He was peacefully sleeping, no nightmares daring to threaten his slumber. She smiled before leaving him to dream without peering eyes. Jen quickly debated on whether or not to check on Charlie to make sure he was at least in bed. She looked into his room and the soft glow of the television shined a bluish light onto her face. Like most nights he was asleep with the television on, for background noise. At first Jen thought it as annoying and a definite waste of electricity but quickly realized he found comfort with it being on. With the sound, he wouldn’t have to feel so alone. Any small comfort Charlie could find, Jen would let him have it, as long as it was appropriate of course. Then Jen shut the door again and slipped into her bedroom.

In no time at all, she removed her evening clothes and changed into more comfortable attire. She went into the adjoining bathroom and removed her makeup and jewelry. As she did, her mind wandered back to Judy, wondering if the brunette was awake this late. Her quandaries were put to rest at the request of her feet taking her to the side window so she could look out down at the guest house. Yellow light could be seen through the windows.

Almost excited, Jen decided to go down to see her. Quietly tiptoeing in the hallway and a hand on the railing on the stairs, she continued out the back door and reached Judy’s door. She politely knocked on it, waiting for an answer.

“Come in,” A chipper voice came from the other side.

A smile warmed Jen’s face. “Hey, Jude,” She said as she opened the door that hid Judy. After a couple of steps inside, she was met with the sight of the brunette. She must have changed after Jen left because Judy wore an oversized t-shirt that was covered in paint stripes and drips where her painting had gotten messy. Her pants weren’t much better, also smeared with paint where Judy must have absentmindedly swiped her brush across the denim. Jen stopped in place as she shut the door, admiring the still-focused-on-painting state Judy was in. 

The brunette sat at her easel, with it facing away from the door, so that no one walking in would see it. Her hair was in a messy bun, out of her face and from getting paint in it. A steady hand carefully maneuvered her brush masterfully on the canvas. Looking downward, her legs were crossed with her feet sitting on the resting spot at the base of the stool. “How did it go?” She asked, still not looking up from her painting.

Jen shrunk into herself, almost taken aback about being asked about it. Of course Judy asked, that’s the kind of person Judy was, but Jen’s first priority wasn’t to talk about her date. She just wanted to be here with Judy. “It went really good, actually,” Surprise was obvious in her tone. She frowned slightly, taking a couple steps closer to the other woman. “But  _ fuck _ , Jude, I just don’t think that-”

Suddenly, Judy looked panicked. She had seen Jen moving closer to her from the corner of her eye. “Wait, stop!” She said louder than she had meant to, eyes wide looking at her, she had even startled herself, maybe more than Jen. Her arms were raised defensively, to ward off the blonde from coming closer. Realizing her actions she quickly dropped them. “Sorry,” She settled back in her seat. “It’s just that no one has seen this yet. I don’t want anyone to see it until it’s done.” She said swallowing. Her eyes flashed down to her painting, not even the boys had seen it when they were in here earlier.

Nodding, Jen took a couple paces backwards. She smiled, looking to Judy for confirmation this is what she wanted.

“Would you sit there actually?” Judy asked, pointing to the chair where Charlie had sat earlier.

Without answering, Jen just took the spot. “Is this good?” She asked. The brunette nodded at her. “All set there, Jude?” She asked, making sure that the other woman was okay. There was something to be said about holding her artwork so close. It was like having a diary, Judy put a lot of herself into her artwork, when she chose to at least. This one happened to be one of those, but this was almost more than that. Jen likened it to when she used to dance, especially having to choreograph it herself. So much practice went into those dances, it had to be perfect before she showed to anyone, let alone performed it properly. So much time was spent alone, perfecting her craft. There was one dance she choreographed, she poured her heart and soul into it and it showed when she performed it for the first time, she had shown only one highly trusted person before that. Reminiscing upon those times, a fleeting thought passed. She wanted to show Judy that dance; to share something like that with her.

Pink blush came to the surface of Judy’s face, showing off her embarrassment. “Yeah, that’s good.” Her eyes found the painting again and she went back to work before saying “Please, continue,”

The blonde watched Judy’s hand raised her palette up to meet the level her brush was on. “He was handsome, just like his fucking picture, like come on  _ no one _ looks like their picture.” Jen scoffed, taking a pause. She watched Judy. The brunette nodded indicating that she was listening. “We both opened up about ugly personal stuff.” She noted that Judy stopped moving. “Most people would hear stuff I said and jump and run, but he just listened.” She shook her head.

Judy couldn’t help her melancholy tone. “That sounds great, Jen.” She refocused on her painting.

The blonde stood up again, trying to see Judy’s face. “Yeah, it sounds so fuckin’ fairytale though,” She turned away to the window. “Great guy, charming, caring in all the ways a woman should swoon for.” She stared out at the house, kitchen light still on for when she went back inside. “It just didn’t feel right.”

Watching Jen, Judy stayed in her seat, resuming her brushstrokes. “Is it because you don’t think you deserve someone who’s good for you?” Judy asked. Then she stopped her hand, eyes meeting the blonde’s figure. “Because you do, if he’s as great as you say then I think you should go for it. Or continue to go for it.” She clarified. There was a melancholy look on her face. She never liked it when Jen put herself down or felt unworthy of love; Judy thought that Jen deserved the whole world.

“I don’t want him, Judy.” Jen pushed some of her hair behind her ear, as she turned back to look at Judy. Then her eyes found the floor, not knowing what it was that wouldn’t let her hold eye contact.

Judy’s mouth hung open, frozen, unknowing what hid behind Jen’s words, if anything were hidden at all. She didn’t know what to say, Jen wouldn’t look at her, maybe there was nothing to say. Still her eyes were fixed on Jen’s figure, waiting for her to lead. Then, as if the stars had aligned, Jen turned her head. Blonde hair caught the light perfectly, the contrast in Jen’s clothes brought out her eyes, she looked ethereal. Judy knew she needed this exact moment. “Don’t move.” She said, once again holding up a hand. “Stay. Just like that,” She took a breath. “Please.” She couldn’t help but add as she went back to her painting.

There was absolutely no resistance from Jen. She stopped in place for Judy. A small realization came upon her, Judy was painting  _ her _ , and she didn’t think that she would stop and pose like this for anybody else. In her pajamas nonetheless, she just trusted Judy to capture her likeness. It felt like a long time that Jen was standing in front of the window, holding a half turned position. Her face was still, even, not wanting to ruin what Judy had seen in her at that exact moment. She felt it when brown eyes flickered back and forth between her and the canvas in front of Judy. A part of her ached to see what the picture looked like, if this was the same picture that had taken so much of Judy’s time, one could only be curious. Jen had abstained from asking in order to remain respectful, but now she knew she was a part of it, it was just that much more alluring.

After the daunting amount of time Judy finally made an announcement. “I think it’s done.” She said, eyes widened at her canvas. “Finally, finally done.” Her eyes started welling up, joy being the factor that tried to fill them.

“Am I okay to move now?” Judy nodded at her. Shoulders finally slackened, and the tenseness form before was released as Jen fully faced the brunette. She ignored the ache that was forming, looking to Judy for any further guidance.

Taking a second to process her emotions, Judy nodded. “I want you to see it.” She said firmly. Then she waved for Jen to come closer. She noted Jen’s hesitance, “It’s okay. Please.” She held out an arm, hand waving her closer again.

Only then did Jen take the footsteps that brought her closer to Judy. It felt like some big reveal, or an intrusion upon Judy’s innermost thoughts. She watched Judy's expression as she approached, it never faltered. Only brown eyes switched from the painting back to her. Then she was side by side with the brunette. Slowly, she turned to take in the sight of Judy’s artwork that she had been so protective of. Her heart broke the moment her eyes met the painting, taking in each delicate and deliberate brushstroke.

It was a self portrait that Judy had made. The composition had placed herself in the bottom center, the onlookers eyes would be drawn to her as the focus. Her expression seemed saddened with a softness, it was bordering on contentedness, like having been lost for so long only to have just been found. To the right of Judy was Henry, his arms were wrapped around her. A big smile was on his face, so full of love and appreciation for Judy. Above him, just behind Judy was Charlie, also smiling. He also had his arm around the brunette, but the other also around Henry. Then finally, to the left of him, just behind Judy was Jen. Her face was content. She was leaning towards Judy with an arm around the brunette’s front, hand over top of Henry’s, shielding her. Her other arm was implied to be behind Charlie on his back. She was holding all of them. The emphasis was obvious, Judy was being accepted by everyone in the family.  _ They  _ were a family.

Art was meant to have different meanings, it is something to be perceived and analyzed to figure out what it means. To each and every person it was subjective. Jen had an idea of what this whole thing meant to Judy, but for her it meant something different. It sparked a realization, the exact reason why her date hadn’t been as perfect as it seemed on the outside. Jen looked at this painting and saw Judy’s portrayal of being accepted and finding a family to complete her picture, but she also saw Judy completing their picture. She was a part of the family and it just wouldn’t feel like coming home without her.

“Jude,” Was all she could say. Jen blinked a few times, looking down at Judy. Something caught her eyes, a color that drew her gaze. It was red. Jen kneeled down on her knees, closer. There was a streak of red paint across Judy’s pinky. Jen sucked in a breath.  _ Of course. _ The red string. Everything had led here and she wanted it to be Judy on the other end. Jen wanted it to get this all over with already, do what it was meant to do. She wanted this damn thread to uncoil and untangle whatever knots it had left in it. More than anything she wanted it to wrap itself around them and tighten, finally bringing them closer, for it to be the all encompassing force that brought them to each other. After every circumstance, every domino in place fell, they were here. Fate had brought them here, to this moment. Their journeys had been complicated enough. She silently begged for it to just let them have this.

The brunette was looking at her expectantly, for whether or not she approved. Brown eyes asking a silent question of whether or not this was okay. 

Of course this was okay, it was more than okay, how could Judy not see that? It looked like Jen would have to help the string herself. She tried to think of anything that would show what Judy meant to her. How she could possibly show Judy that she was worth it to somebody, she was worth it to her. She always would be. An idea snuck up on her, something laced with meaning, something that could say everything that she would struggle to say. With her free hand, she grabbed a loose brush and dabbed it into the red paint. She made sure Judy was watching before she painted a streak across her own pinky. Then she took Judy’s hand with red paint on it and pulled it closer to her. The blonde offered her finger to Judy, hoping with everything in her that Judy would take the hint.

A small sigh came from Judy. It was almost like her heart was breaking, but really it was being rebuilt piece by piece with every second passing. She nodded down at Jen taking her pinky, holding it in hers.

“Judy,” she began. “You’ll always have a place here, as a part of this family.” A smile broke out on Jen’s face. “I want you here with me.” There it was. The absolute finalness of her words. Ones that they both knew she was sure of. She pulled their hands closer to her face. Jen pressed a soft kiss to a knuckle on Judy’s pinky. The gesture speaking all of the rest of the words she couldn’t force herself to actually say.  _ I want it to be you at the other end of my string. _

A small laugh of disbelief left Judy’s lips. Tears finally allowed themselves release, streaming down her cheek. She smiled down at their joined hands, bit down on her bottom lip before lifting up never letting go. She leaned down as the hand came up. Her eyes met Jen’s before she blew on the painted streak across Jen's pinky. Then she placed her own lips on it too.  _ I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.  _

Jen felt the words deep in her bones with Judy’s own kiss upon her skin. She looked up at the tears still flowing from Judy, she didn’t dare release their interlocked pinkies, she used her other hand to wipe away the tears from the brunette's face. Her hand lingered, holding the side of Judy’s face. Her gaze dropped to see two trembling lips, waiting. It felt like she was leading but she refused to go anywhere if Judy didn’t want to follow. She waited for her to lean in first. 

Then Judy did, she came slowly closer, their faces inches apart. It felt like now or never, but suddenly she felt Jen close the gap between them. Their lips met with a soft press that dared not urge for more. But Judy wanted more, she finally knew what home was with Jen, she knew what it was to be cared about without any expectations of anything in return. Typically, Judy never asked for anything, but right now she asked for this. There was no way she couldn’t. Dropping the brush and palette to the floor she pulled Jen into her, feeling strong arms wrap around her. She poured everything she had into this, her desperation showed through the most.

Judy wasn’t alone in this. Jen felt like she had been waiting for this her whole life. No one had ever made her feel the way that Judy made her feel right in this moment, kissing Judy was unreal,  _ this _ was what being with your person was supposed to feel like. It was cautious and cared about how she felt. And Judy’s lips were soft, she never wanted to have to miss them. Best of all, she could tell Judy felt the same way.

They finally broke for air, both letting out a sigh of relief. Smiles mirroring each other. They leaned forward resting their heads together. Eyes closed in the quiet connection.

It was Jen’s turn to let a tear fall. She couldn’t believe it, after it all, they finally arrived here. She had Judy, and there was no one else she would rather be with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i remember when this was supposed to be a just a oneshot. i don't know how it became this but i can't say i'm upset about it! 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed this as much as i did writing it. thank you for being here and reading this! <3

**Author's Note:**

> everything is already written, so I won't keep you waiting! it should be out fully over the course of a week.
> 
> thank you for reading! comments and kudos are appreciated <3


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